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ST. CLAIRSVILLE — A body was found this morning in a private lake near Belmont Hills Country Club.
Belmont County Chief Deputy James Zusack confirmed that a body was discovered in the lake where crews had been searching for a missing man. He said authorities believe it is the body of the man they had been searching for, but he said he could not officially confirm that until the coroner’s office completes its work on the case.
Zusack said he received a call at about 9 a.m. today informing him that a body had been found. He did not know details of how the discovery was made but said Sheriff Dave Lucas had been on scene at the time. Attempts to contact Lucas for additional information were not immediately successful.
The search began Tuesday after a caller to 911 reported a man had gone missing while swimming in the private lake. Thick silt and heavy vegetation in the water complicated first responders’ efforts; dive teams and cadaver dogs assisted in the attempt to locate the man, but to no avail. The search was suspended Friday evening to allow the crews to rest and in hopes that silt in the lake would settle, improving visibility. It was scheduled to resume Monday morning.
A witness at the scene identified the missing man as Dennis Schmidt, 32, of Barnesville, but Lucas declined to confirm that information, saying he would not release the man’s identity until he was found.